“Anthony Mallia is back at work after Spring Valley officials rehired the former Ramapo building inspector as a consultant despite Rockland County personnel officials disqualifying him due to his felony conviction.

While residents called the hiring nepotism by Mayor Alan Simon, Trustees Asher Grossman and Zach Clerina voted with Simon on Wednesday night to rehire Mallia as an independent government adviser. Trustees Sherry McGill and Eudson Francois voted against the move, contending the village should not circumvent the county ruling.

Mallia’s pay as an adviser will be $75 an hour, capped at $75,000 annually, officials said.

The village had paid him $125,000 as Simon’s confidential aide during 2018 before the Rockland Personnel Department learned in December that he had been on the village payroll in violation of civil service law with an unapproved job application.

Simon hired Mallia in January 2018 on the heels of Mallia’s August 2017 guilty plea as Ramapo building inspector to charges that involved undercharging contractors for permits and shortchanging taxpayers by $150,000 from January 2015 to February 2016.

Mallia received no prison time and remains on five years probation after pleading guilty to first-degree tampering with public records and official misconduct. A grand jury originally charged Mallia with 188 counts, including dozens of felony counts of falsifying and tampering with business records.”